Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

क्षीरोदां नर्मदां मत्वा अनन्तभुजगोपरि । लक्ष्म्या समन्वितः कृष्णो निलीनश्चोत्तरे तटे

Transliteration

kṣīrodāṃ narmadāṃ matvā anantabhujagopari | lakṣmyā samanvitaḥ kṛṣṇo nilīnaścottare taṭe

Translation

നർമദയെ ക്ഷീരസാഗരമായി കരുതി, ലക്ഷ്മീസമേതനായ ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണൻ അനന്തശേഷനാഗത്തിന്മേൽ ശയിച്ച് ഉത്തരതീരത്ത് ഗൂഢമായി വസിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• क्षीरोदाम्: (as) Kṣīrodā (the Milky Ocean)
• क्षीरोदाम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीरोदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नर्मदाम् इत्यस्य विशेषण (as 'Kṣīrodā')

• नर्मदाम्: the Narmadā
• नर्मदाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मत्वा: having regarded (as)
• मत्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मन् (धातु) → मत्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव — 'having considered/knowing'

• अनन्तभुजग: Ananta the serpent (Śeṣa)
• अनन्तभुजग: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त + भुजग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-समर्थे उपरि-योगे (locative sense via उपरि), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (अनन्तः भुजगः)

• उपरि: upon
• उपरि: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपरि-निपात (preposition/adverb)

• लक्ष्म्या: with Lakṣmī
• लक्ष्म्या: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समन्वितः: accompanied, endowed
• समन्वितः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + अन्वि/अन्वि (धातु) → समन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying कृष्णः)

• कृष्णः: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निलीनः: hid, lay concealed
• निलीनः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + ली (धातु) → निलीन (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि-भावे — 'having hidden/settled'

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• उत्तरे: on the northern
• उत्तरे: Adhikaraṇa (Location-qualifier/अधिकरण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying तटे)

• तटे: bank
• तटे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator, likely Sūta/Skanda framework within Revā Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) – Uttara-taṭa

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On the quiet northern bank of the Narmadā, the river gleams like milk; Kṛṣṇa with Lakṣmī reclines upon Ananta-Śeṣa, partially concealed—divine repose amid riverine serenity.

Characters & Entities

• Narmadā
• Kṛṣṇa
• Lakṣmī
• Ananta (Śeṣa)
• Kṣīroda (Milk Ocean)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha becomes a living Vaikuṇṭha through divine presence; seeing the Narmadā as the Milk-Ocean elevates her as supremely purifying.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The northern bank of the Narmadā (Revā) is singled out, portrayed with Vaikuṇṭha imagery (Lakṣmī–Nārāyaṇa and Ananta).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse implicitly encourages darśana and reverent pilgrimage to the Narmadā’s northern bank.